Book rack



March 21, 1939. R. G. YOUNG 2,151,259

BOOK RACK Filed Jan. 8, 195 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 8; Raymond q .Young 17 (Ittorneg March 21, 1939. R, YOUNG 2,151,259

BOOK RACK Filed Jan. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 igs.

Snventor 8g aym gnd Q.Young.

v I 1AM 4' (Ittorneg I Patented Mar. 21, 1939 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE one-half to Carlton Nebr.

Application January 8.,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in book racks, and has for its object, broadly, to provide a book rack provided with such adjustable features that the ho1der-plate which supports reading matter may be maintained at suitable inclinations relative to artificial light or sunlight.

Another object is to provide a book rack which may be moved forwardly or rearwardly relative to the position of the user of the device.

Also it is an object to provide artificial illuminating means of such arrangement that the light may be so directed that it will not injure I eyesight.

The invention includes a book rack which may be swung to unobtrusive position, and the intention has been to provide such aconstruction that very heavy books may be supported firmly without undue swinging movements or vibration.

The invention consists of the new and useful construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed and as shown in the drawings, it being understood that changes may be made in form, size, proportion of parts and-minor details as found to be of advantage, said changes being within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a sectional view on line l--l of Fig. 4, the book-holder plate and lamp being disposed in elevated position, and Fig. 2 shows the operating parts in folded posi tion, the book-holder plate being disposed flush with the top of the desk.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Fig. 2, the parts being enlarged to clearly show a groove, a slide-block therein and a part of the holder-plate.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view looking downwardly upon the book rack and showing a desk which 40 provides a pair of wings or supports between which the book rack may have slidable movements and providing a recess between the wings.

Fig. 5 is a broken away view showing the book rack in front elevation, parts of the desk being shown in section.

Referring now to the drawings for a more particular description, it should be stated that while a fiat top desk 6, provided with opposed wings 1 providing a recess 8 between the wings, has been shown in the drawings, the invention is not limited in this respect, and any suitable means may be provided for supporting the book rack, and in the appended claims the wings I are designated as supporting-members.

Numeral 9 indicates a rectangular holder-plate P. Swiler, Jr., Omaha,

1938, Serial No. 183,996

upon which books or the like may be placed for reading or study, and it may be disposed at any suitable inclination. It is provided on its lower side, between its ends, at opposed edges with ears arranged in pairs as indicated at H H and I9.

Numerals [2 indicate a pair of parallel grooves which are formed in the opposed supportingmembers 1, each groove preferably being provided with a metallic lining or track l3 of channel-form, as best shown in Fig. 3. At I4 is indicated a pair of slide-blocks each disposed and movable in a channel or track, and by means of a pair of threaded bolts l5 which are provided for the slide-blocks l4 and which extend through the ears II), the holder-plate 9 is pivotally attached to the slide-blocks 14.

As thus described the holder-plate may have swinging movements on the bolts l5 and may be moved forwardly or rearwardly as may be desired. However, wing-nuts l6 are provided for the bolts l5 for locking the holder-plate and to prevent any movement thereof relative to the supports 1, and in operation, after a suitable adjustment for the holder-plate for its inclination the wing-nuts 16 may be used for preventing any swinging movement of the holder-plate.

The swinging movements of the holder-plate 9 is under control of a pair of brace-bars ll, each bar being pivotally mounted at one of its ends at 8 to a desk-wing or support 1, its opposite end being pivotally mounted upon an ear H of said holder-plate.

In operation, the holder-plate 9 may be swung upwardly to be disposed at a desired inclination, the blocks I 4 sliding along in the grooves l2 and the brace-bars ll swinging upwardly for maintaining the holder-plate in said inclined position, and if a book or other load on the plate 9 is exceptionally heavy, the wing-nuts I6 may be rotated for pressing the ears it) against the slideblocks to cause the plate 9 to remain in said inclined position.

The ears I I of the plate 9 are each provided with a threaded pivot-pin a, and by means of wing-nuts b the ends of the brace-bars Il may be pressed against said ears II to provide additional rigidity for said parts.

When the book rack is not in use, the holderplate 9 may be swung to a, horizontal position to form a flat top for the desk, the weight of the holder-plate 9 being supported by the bolts l5 and pivots a.

In order that the face of the holder-plate may be suitably illuminated and that the parts for this purpose may be moved to adjusted positions, the

apertured ears l9 are disposed at the distal end of the holder-plate and in these ears are pivotally mounted a pair of links 20, these links being parts of an adjustable, collapsible frame for an electrical illuminating agent. -V

Numeral 2| indicates an elongated horizontal reflector for electric lamps provided with a pair of arms 22 having pivotal connections 23 at their ends with the links 20. Wing-nuts c or other suitable elements are used for maintaining the arms 22 in fixed relation with the links 20 so that swinging movements of the reflector 2| will be under control.

When it is desired to dispose the holder-plate in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the holder-plate is drawn to the near side of the table and the links 20 together with the reflector and its connections are swung downwardly beneath said plate.

In order that a book a: may be supported at a suitable height upon the inclined plate .9, a bookrest or rectilinear buffer-strip 24 is used. This strip is provided on its lower side with suctioncaps 25, and when the strip is disposed horizontally and pressed downwardly upon said plate: 9 it will remain in stationary position thereon and will resist removal in a degree sufficient for supporting and preventing a downward sliding movement of the book.- The strip 24 may be detached from plate 9 in a well known manner.

Relative to the use ,of the several wing-nuts mentioned, some of them could be dispensed with,

depending upon the frictional contact of parts. Also ,the lining or channel-formed tracks I3 are not needed, but if their use is desired they could be produced by pressing very thin sheet metal to a U-shape in cross-section so that the slide-blocks 1. In combination with a pair of connected,

upright supports providing a recess therebetween, a plate disposed between and mounted on the supports, a pair of links pivotally mounted on the plate, a lamp-holding reflector having a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the links, and movable, co-operating elements on the supports andsaid plate whereby said lamp-holding reflector and links may be swung upwardly above the supports, or may be swung downwardly into said recess.

2. In combination with a pair of connected, uprightsupports providing a recess therebetween, a plate disposed between and mounted on the supports, a lamp-holding reflector provided with a pair of arms, a pair of links pivotally mounted on said arms and swingably mounted to permit said lamp-reflector and links to move to selected positions' above or below said plate, and movable, 00- Y operating means on the supports and said plate whereby said lamp-holding reflector and links may be swung downwardly into said recess below said plate.

RAYMOND G. YOUNG. 

